


Ad Bellum Nobis (The War Between Us)

by resonatingkitty



Series: A Lunatic Fringe and Suplex City [6]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-05-30 05:17:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6410362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/resonatingkitty/pseuds/resonatingkitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Truths come to light as war dawns on the horizon. The road to Wrestlemania is quickly approaching its end and the war will soon be waged.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Raw - March 14 2016 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so here's the deal with this, there was a short time frame stretching between the last three Raws and last 2 Smackdowns (March 14th through present) where my motivation and actual ability to make words flow was a nonexistent thing. I literally couldn't write despite trying to and it made me really frustrated and stressed out because I couldn't get anything to work. The ideas were there, just nothing was flowing like I wanted it too. 
> 
> I was also sick for like a week on top of all of that and literally had enough energy to drag myself to work and then come back home and sleep. (Think I ended up sleeping for like 36 or something hours in a couple days span which is really out of the norm for me) So this delayed the writing even further. 
> 
> Finally thought I got better and my drought lifted and I got motivated and liked my flow enough to where I finished one of four parts of this section of the story. Here's the thing, I only have 1/4 sections completely as I still have another Raw and two Smackdown's to cover (March 21st Raw and March 17th and 24th Smackdowns) and instead of making y'all wait for another long while (week or so) to get the update as a whole, I made the executive decision to post the first part and then add the other parts as I finish them. 
> 
> This means that this part of the series, this title, will have 4 chapters under it and the next titled part will cover pre Mania Raw/Smackdown, Mania, and the ending/finalization of the series. (I really hope this makes some kind of sense lol) I will be posting the chapters on an as I finish em basis and thus y'all ain't having to wait for em hopefully for too too long. 
> 
> So yeah! Apologies for a long note to begin with! Onto the story! Enjoy~

Doing what he was told to do hadn’t been something that Dean had ever been particularly good at. His tendency to throw caution to the wind, deal with the repercussions of his actions after the fact, coupled with the rebel spirit that lived inside of him that loved to defy usually lead him to do the exact opposite of what he should be doing. 

Those two things combined is the reason he finds himself heading toward Brock Lesnar’s locker room, wielding the barb wire wrapped baseball bat that had been given to him by Foley tightly in one hand. The earlier segments from the night still fresh in his mind giving him an adrenaline rush that had him high on his victories of the night. Bringing Brock’s earlier attempt to beat the shit out of him again to a screeching halt with the aid of a crowbar that had later been traded for the present of the bat by Foley in the locker room. Yeah Dean would say then he came out victorious tonight. Morally so but nonetheless. He revels in the pissed off look that Brock had shot him, knew the beast would probably be even more pissed off now after he no doubt witnessed Dean’s receival of the gifted bat. The thought had occurred to him that his current destination was possibly the last place he needed to be going, that he should be leaving instead and heading to his hotel. He ignored it though, pushed it out of his mind for the time being. 

Bray’s warning was still in Dean’s head as well, had been since last week. It was a constant little nagging voice in the back of his mind telling him to leave Brock Lesnar along that nothing good would come of what he was doing, of the hole he was digging himself into. It also had occurred to him that he possibly should be heading Bray’s warning but listening to Bray wasn’t something he normally did. He knew that defying the brunet wouldn’t end well for him as Bray was a vengeful fucker, who would undoubtedly turn his attention toward Dean once Brock had been taken care and disposed of. The high he was riding now though pushed those thoughts from Dean’s head. To hell with the consequences if Bray found out. He’d deal with them once he got there and who knows, Bray might not find out. 

Dean knew that neither Bray nor any of the other members of the Wyatt family were at the arena tonight. The whole place had practically been buzzing with that fact and he’d heard it as soon as he arrived. He was slightly bummed at the news as he wanted to ask Bray what that stunt was he had pulled at Roadblock. The last minute switch of opponents had him just as confused as everyone else. He wanted to know the details of why although he could possibly figure them out himself if he speculated on it long enough. He had thought it was strange that Bray opted out of a fight with Lesnar as he’d been practically biting at the bits just to get a chance at it but if this was one of Bray’s mind games that he was attempting to play then Dean wouldn’t think it as strange, rather strategic. He knew how Bray operated, had fought Bray enough to know he could be a force to be reckoned with when he wanted to be but if he could get some mind games in before hand then he would not turn it down. It didn’t matter how Bray was playing it. Dean was sure Bray would get his revenge, Bray always got his revenge sooner or later and if Brock dropped his guard then that revenge would strike him hard. 

Dean couldn’t speculate on Roadblock and the what ifs and what would bes as he was coming up on Brock’s locker room. Luckily all the crew members in the area seemed to be too busy with getting everything packed up and ready to roll out and weren’t paying Dean any attention. He eased up to the door, the large sigh with Brock’s name on it allowing it to be a dead giveaway. He couldn’t help but grin when he saw that it wasn’t completely closed. From inside, Paul’s annoyed voice reached his ears. 

“I cannot believe the Authority allowed this to happen! As if there already wasn’t enough weapons under the ring but nooo they just had to go and okay for Mick Foley to give him a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire! Not only that but he can legally use it during the street fight! I cannot believe they let that lunatic anywhere near a weapon as dangerous as that!” 

Dean grins, taking that as his cue to announce himself. He shoulders his way into the room, says loudly, “I know right! Isn’t it awesome?” 

Paul jumps visibly, whips around to stare wide eyed at Dean obviously very surprised that Dean was there or would even come looking for them. That look changed to one of wary when he caught sight of the weapon that Dean had shouldered, the very weapon that had been the subject of his complaining. 

“Now Mr. Ambrose,” there’s a nervousness to Paul’s voice now as he hold his hands up as a gesture for peace, “Let’s just think about this for a minute and not do something we might come to regret later.” 

“Oh are you saying that me substituting your head for a baseball and trying to knock it out of the park for a home run is something I shouldn’t do? Is that what you’re saying Paul?” Dean asks, gripping the bat with two hands and taking a few practice swings with it before shouldering it again. 

Paul swallows, taking a few steps back. 

“Do me a favor Pauly and keep quiet will you,” Dean continues, pointing the tip of the bat at Paul, “I’m not here to talk to you,” he moves the tip of the bat to where Brock was still sitting, “I’m here to talk to him.” 

During the whole situation Brock hadn’t moved a muscle from where he sat on the benches that his locker room offered. He had looked up when Dean had barged it but his expression is unreadable, even now Dean couldn’t tell how affected Brock was at the sight of him. He certainly didn’t look worried at all at the fact that Dean was standing in his locker room holding a very dangerous weapon, willing and more than capable of using it. Dean wanted some sort of reaction out of him, needed it almost to keep his adrenaline pumping. 

Brock remains silent though, just raises a brow at Dean. He pushes himself to his feet, walks forward until he’s mere inches from the tip of the bat. He doesn’t even acknowledge the weapon, eyes focused solely on Dean’s face. He stand there, staring down Dean, who’s starting to become less and less confident about his decision to come here. 

“Brock.” Paul’s worried voice fills the room, breaks the tense silence that gathered. 

Brock’s attention shifts at the sound. He turns his head, glancing at Paul over his shoulder before turning his attention back to Dean huffing out, “Don’t worry Paul, he’s not here to do any harm. He would’ve done it by now if he were,” Dean tenses at that, bristles at that. Didn’t Brock know he was unpredictable? He contemplated taking a swing, he wouldn’t miss at this close of a proximity that was for sure, but he remains still, keeps up his smug face. He waits. 

Brock smiles, tight lipped and menacing in its own right, “So, are you here on your all mighty protector’s behalf seeing as he’s gone and gotten himself injured enough to where he can’t fight me?” 

Dean’s eyes widen. He knew who Brock was referring to but the last bit was news to him. Since when was Bray injured? “What the fuck are you talking about?” And Dean doesn’t like the way Brock’s eyes flash at his confused question. 

“Oh! You didn’t know?” It was Paul that spoke up. He’d come to stand behind Brock. He had a gleeful look on his face, “For someone Mr. Wyatt supposedly proclaims his love for, you really are well uninformed on his well being. Since you aren’t informed, allow me to catch you up to speed, Mr. Wyatt sustained the injury during Smackdown’s taping and thus Mr. Harper was scheduled as his replacement. The match was supposed to have been a Handicap Match but apparently Mr. Wyatt was still too hurt to compete. We didn’t find out until after the match. I’m surprised, quite frankly that you seemed to be the last to know of this considering Mr. Wyatt and merry band of followers have done well to not allow you out their sight for more than a few seconds.” 

Dean’s smug expression crumbles. He’s standing there, staring at Paul in disbelief. There couldn’t be any way that he was telling the truth. Dean had been with Bray pretty much the whole night and he hadn’t seen Bray show any signs of hurting and he’s pretty sure he could tell. Yet, he still feels a sliver of doubt at that. Would he know if Bray was really hurt if Bray went to the links to keep it from him? 

His distraction gives Brock an opportunity, an opening to reach out and snag his weapon from him. It’s one Brock doesn’t miss and suddenly Dean is unarmed and being slammed back first against the wall. The impact of his back making contact with the wall causes a grunt to escape him and he doesn’t get time to even begin to struggle before his arms are being pinned above his head by his wrists. The bat is flung across the room, well out of Dean’s reach. 

“Fucking let me go,” Dean growls, trying and failing to put heat behind his words. The new information on Bray had him distracted enough that he couldn’t muster up the energy to put up a fight. Though he would never outright admit it,he was slightly worried about Brays conditions - a helluva lot more pissed off at Bray for not fucking telling him, and he wanted nothing more than to go searching for the Wyatts, even if he had to go all the way to fucking Louisiana to find them. He wanted to know what happened and when. 

Brock doesn’t let him go though, just grins down at his annoyed expression. “I find it absolutely amusing that you’re actually worrying about him,” Brock comments and Dean tenses up even more. “I thought all those rumors that I kept hears about you and the Wyatt Family patriarch were just something that the fans had come up with and it had gotten around to the locker room but it looks like there was some truth to that after all.” He’s grinning wider now and it’s really starting to piss Dean off. 

“Fuck off,” Dean tries to heave himself up against Brock’s grip, attempting to break it but the pressure on his wrists merely increased, halting his attempts. “Just fucking fuck right the fuck off.” He tries to get a knee up to drive it into Brock’s stomach but that’s also thwarted when Brock presses his body up against Dean’s, the solid weight crushing Dean enough to stop his attempts and make it where he couldn’t hardly move. 

“Paul,” Brock turns his attention once again to his advocate, who was watching from where he’d been standing before. There’s an unhappy look on Paul’s face as if he already knows what Brock was going to say. “Go wait for me by the car. I’ll be out in a few moments. Dean was right, we have some things to discuss.” 

“Very well,” Paul says discouragingly as he starts for the door. He grabs the handle, throwing over his shoulder as he went, “Please don’t take too long though, we have an appointment in forty five minutes that you absolutely cannot miss and then we have a flight to catch.” 

Brock’s already turned his attention back to Dean but he nods and the door clicks closed, leaving the two of them alone. Dean expects Brock to release him once Paul is gone but that doesn’t happen, Brock doesn’t move. 

_‘This was a bad idea’_ It was a little too late for that thought and for Dean to realize it now, when he’s once again gotten himself into trouble. He tries to get his bravado facade in place, to meet Brock’s intense stare with one of his own. 

“You said we have some things to discuss? Well what are you waiting for? Let’s get to discussing, you heard your advocate, ‘only got forty five minutes.’” 

“You seem to be in an awful big hurry to leave Dean,” Brock observes, pressing forward more, causing friction between their bodies. “Forty five minutes is a pretty long time.” 

Dean bites his bottom lip as heat courses through him. He couldn’t get lost in this, not anymore. For as much as Dean hated to admit it, Bray had been right when he’d said that his tangling with Brock wouldn’t lead to anything good. He couldn’t let it happen. “You’re implying that I don’t have somewhere I need to be myself, which I do,” Dean hopes that Brock wouldn’t try to call his bluff, “just because they weren’t here tonight, don’t think Bray or the boys ain’t around. It’s like Paul said, they won’t let me stay outta their sight for long. For all you know I’m on a timer too, if I don’t make it back to the hotel within a certain time, they’re gonna come hunting for me.” It’s a lie. He’s staying by himself and he really hopes that Brock didn’t know that bit of information and if it’s any indication from the anger that flashes briefly in Brock’s eyes before it’s reigned in, Brock didn’t know. Dean had to fight not to smile. “So you said you had something to discuss, start talking. This isn’t about our match is it? You aren’t getting cold feet and want to back out are you?”

Brock smiles at the inquiry, “Oh believe me Dean, I’m still very much looking forward to our match at Wrestlemania.” He leans forward, until his face is hovering just inches in front of Dean. Dean picks up the minty fresh scent of his breath as it washes over his face. “Beating your ass is going to be such a pleasure and so will be beating the asses of your little swamp monster as well as any and every one of his boys’ too if they’re stupid enough to think they can win against me.” Dean hisses out when he feels the button of his jeans being undone, tries to shrink away from the hand that works its way into his boxers. 

“Fuck,” he groans out as that hand wraps itself around his semi hard cock and starts to stroke firmly. He tries to tell himself not to enjoy it but a good firm squeeze and an increase in speed shuts that part of his brain down. The pleasure traveling up his spine overwhelms him, has him moaning out, fanning his breath over Brock’s face. “God fuck” 

A chuckle falls from Brock’s lips, had Dean’s eyes squeezing shut to avoid the smug look that he knows would be present on the other’s face. He tries to will his hips to stop hitching forward to chase that hand as it moved up his cock, succeeds only for a stroke or two. He’s shaking as the pleasure starts to build slowly. 

“Oh what I would give to have your little swamp monster here right now, see what I’m making of, what was it - oh yes, _his precious little lamb._ ” Suddenly Brock’s lips are right against the shell of Dean’s ear and he’s growling, lowly, causing Dean to shudder and for his cock to twitch. “You’d like that wouldn’t you?” That hand squeezes and swipes across the head of his cock, smearing the precum that was leaking out, “I bet you’d get off on it wouldn’t you?” 

“Would get off on watching Bray kick your ass all over this room,” Dean pants, hopes his voices comes out as smug as he meant for it to. 

Brock laughs at that, a full, long laugh. “Oh Dean, Dean” He pulls back tsking, “if you actually believe your swamp monster can do anything against me then you really are mental.” 

“D-Don’t be fucking surprised then when - fuck - when Bray’s beating your ass then.” Dean retorts with a smirk. It causes Brock to frown and surge forward to connect their lips roughly, cutting off any more smart ass remarks from falling from Dean.  
It’s the taste of his own blood from a hard bite to his bottom lip along with Brock spending up his hand that has Dean cumming right in his pants. His loud moan is muffled by Brock’s mouth and Brock doesn’t stop his ministrations until Dean’s right on the edge of oversensitivity. Dean slides down the wall, ending up in a sitting position on the floor when Brock finally releases him and steps away. He’s panting and exhausted, his orgasming having taken whatever was left in his tank completely out of him and he still had to travel for Smackdown’s taping. He watches, eyes heavily lidded as Brock walks across the room, retrieving the bat that he’d discarded earlier. He brings it over, dropping it beside Dean. 

“Make sure you don’t lose that before our street fight.” 

Dean arches a brow, his brain still scrambled enough that he can’t form the words to actually ask why. 

“It’ll be the thing I use to end our little match with, since you’re so fond of it. We’ll see how you like barbed wire.” 

Dean manages to huff a cackle. Not many people - Roman and Bray were about the only two people here in the WWE that did - but Dean had been in barb wire matches earlier in his career, well before his WWE days. It didn’t scare his as it did others. 

“I’ll be seeing you Dean” Brock shakes his head, heading for the door, “Give my regards to your swamp monster for me and tell him he’s got an F-5 waiting with his name on it.” 

The response Brock gets is the middle finger before he exits the room and Dean is left to gather himself. The mess that was soaking through the front of his jeans was going to make it very awkward in trying to get out of the arena, perhaps he could get mad enough luck to not encounter anyone on his way out. 

\-- 

Paul’s leaning against the SUV, looking irritatedly at his phone when Brock makes it to the parking garage. 

“Ready?” Brock asks as he walks up to where the man was waiting. 

“Finally,” Paul says exasperated, “We have fifteen minutes to get there!” He opens the back door to the SUV and climbs in, scooting over so Brock could climb in behind him. “I take it all went well with Mr. Ambrose?” He asks once they’re both buckled and the car is pulling away, heading for the exit. 

Brock nods, his attention focused out the window of the SUV. 

“I don’t suppose you told him the real reason behind Mr. Wyatt’s injury?” 

“No. He’ll find out soon enough.” 

“He’s not going to be too happy when he finds out that you were indirectly the ultimate cause of it.”

Brock couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on his face. That’s what he was banking on. A pissed opponent is one that will leave themselves wide open for attacks. When Dean finds out that Bray was attacked and hurt when he confronted the people that Brock had tailing and spying on them, he had no doubt that Dean would be raging, which was good. He would use that to his advantage and finally destroy the man that claimed himself to be indestructible.


	2. Smackdown - March 17, 2016 - Cincinnati, Ohio

_Where are you?_

_Cincinnati._

_Give me the address where you’re staying._

The message screen was still pulled up on Dean’s phone. The device itself seated in his lap and Dean was seated in the back seat of a cab heading for the small motel that Bray had texted the address to. It was still very early in the morning and really Dean should be in a hotel of his own somewhere catching up on his sleep - since he’d been up practically all night with Raw and his flight. He was sort of tired - very tired actually - but this thoughts wouldn’t stop going to Bray. As soon as his flight had touched down and he got out of the airport, his only concern was to find Bray so he could find out what had happened and maybe even berate the other for not having the decency to at least tell him. 

He wasn’t as worried about Bray’s injury as one would assume - he himself had hurt Bray countless times enough to know that Bray wouldn’t stay down for longer than necessary for his injury to become manageable, but the thought of Bray being hurt and Paul and Brock knowing about it didn’t sit well with him. He had the gut sinking suspicion that they had something to do with it. 

The cab pulls into the parking lot of the motel just twenty or so minutes after leaving the airport. “Thanks man,” Dean pulls out a wad of cash, hands it up to the cab driver before he starts grabbing his bag and reaching for the door. “Keep the change,” he calls over his shoulder to the cabby trying to stop him to give him back his change as he’s halfway out of the cab. 

He crosses the parking lot, heading for the stairs. They creak under him as he starts climbing them, heading for the room number that Bray had texted along with his address. He rasps his knuckles against the plain white door three times and waits. 

It’s Erick who opens the door, pulling it agape enough to where he could peek out to see whom was there and then opening it wide enough to allow Dean to enter. 

The room is dark - their rooms are always dark as they don’t use the lights - luckily, there is a single window that cast light into the room. All four members of the family is packed into the room, whether or not they were all rooming in this one room is unknown to Dean as he doesn’t see any bags with them. Luke and Braun are seated on one of the only bed, Bray is in his rocking chair, and Erick is sitting back in the arm chair Dean assumed he’s been in prior to answering the door. 

Dean turns his attention to the man he came here to see, already feeling the annoyance starting to fill him at the mere sight of him. Bray was smiling at him, a cheery, welcoming smile of greeting as if Dean’s presence was the best thing to happen to him all day. And given the fact that he’d been hurt and then had to sit out with that fight with Lesnar at Roadblock as well as miss Raw, Dean could guess that his presence probably was the best thing, in Bray’s terms, to happen. 

“Hello darlin’” the words are just as cheery as the smile still plastered on Bray’s face but Dean couldn’t find himself enjoying Bray’s cheery mood. 

“You motherfucker!” The angry outburst had the smile faltering and Bray blinking in confusion. Even Luke, Braun, and Erick all looked quizzically at Dean. 

“What?” Bray sounded like he was at a loss as to why Dean would be mad. He even tilts his head to the side - a move he does subconsciously when he’s confused. 

Dean stomps across the room, stopping himself just inches from where Bray was seated. He glares at the brunette, curls his fists at his sides. 

“I don’t recall what I could’ve done to deserve being called that,” Bray says. He adjusts himself in the chair, moving to where he’s sitting up rather than slouching like he normally would. His attention is focused in on Dean, waiting for him to explain what he’d done. 

“Why didn’t you tell me about your back?” 

The moment those words left Dean’s mouth he regretted him. Bray’s expression changed immediately. Dean could see the anger clouding his face and how tense he’d gotten. The whole atmosphere in the room became tense. 

Dean hadn’t really seen him move but suddenly Bray was standing in front of him, only inches separated them. His once cheerful blue eyes had turned cold and they were staring intently at Dean. Dean wanted to take a step back, put some distance between himself and Bray, but he couldn’t move. He was frozen to the spot. 

“Darlin’” Words laced with anger but spoken softly. Bray speaking softly was worse than him raising his voice. It meant that he was on the verge of lashing out, destroying anything he could get his hands on. “How did you know about my back?” 

Dean hesitates, “I……. um…..” 

Bray snarls, actually snarls, causing everyone in the room to flinch. His fury was something to be intimidated by. Dean’s hesitation had unintentionally told him who had told him. 

Dean watches as Bray starts to pace, hand tangling in the long dark brown strands of hair. Guilt starts to swirl in his stomach, seeing Bray like that. He knows what Bray thinks happened and well, it kind of did, but he didn’t have to let Bray know that.  
“It’s not what you think,” He says slowly. Bray stops pacing, turns his head to look at him through the hair hanging in his face. His eyes bore into Dean, making the dirty blond avert his gaze, “After I got the bat from Mick on Raw, I decided to pay the overgrown ape a visit, maybe scare him a bit with the bat. That’s when he asked me if I’d come to get revenge for you because you’d been hurt. Paul told me the rest. That’s it. How did they even know you were hurt?” 

Bray’s eyes narrowed and he stares at Dean. Dean realizes that he’s pondering his words, hopes that his face gives nothing away. He wasn’t lying to Bray, but he wasn’t telling all that happened and wouldn’t if he could get out of it. Eventually Bray seems to believe his tale and goes about answering his question, “They were the reason for it.” 

“What? How?” Dean’s eyes widened. 

“I noticed that we were being watched,” Bray explain, moving to sit back in the rocking chair. He leans back and starts rocking slowly. He gazes at Dean, his expression calmer now. “I decided to take care of it on Smackdown. I underestimated the resiliency of the guy and I turned wrong, aggravating an old injury in my back. It wasn’t a big deal and I was fine but Heyman arranged it so I would be taken out of the match at Roadblock.”

Dean nodded in understanding. It sounded like something Paul would do. It would make sense to have Brock face someone not as big of a threat to him as Bray was. Luke wasn’t something to underestimate but even he paled in comparison to Bray when Bray really wanted to fight. Bray could be a monster when he wanted. 

“Guess I’ll have to take care of Brock at Wrestlemania then,” Dean murmurs, “Get him for the both of us.” 

“Perhaps,” Bray says with a thoughtful look. If Dean didn’t know Bray as well as he did then he’d think that Bray would just drop this and move on but Dean knew Bray would want his revenge himself and he would wait patiently until he got it. 

“You gonna be on Smackdown tonight?” Dean ventures. He had to do a segment to hype his match at Wrestlemania, just some talking, nothing too strenuous. 

“No,” Bray shook his head. 

“Why are you here then? Shouldn’t you be back at the compound?” 

Bray smirks, “I knew you’d be here and I wanted to see you.” 

Of course. Dean shakes his head, huffing out a laugh. His segment needed to be done before Smackdown started - it’s what he was told when they handed him the camera and told him how to use it. They left it to his discretion on how he was going to do it. He’d thought about just going in early and shooting it in the arena, just to get it over with. But now that he’s here with Bray, he starts getting a new idea. 

“Well since we’re here,” He starts, walking over to where he’d dropped his bag on the floor earlier. He unzips it and pulls the camera from where he had it place in the top of the bag, “want to help me shoot a segment? I want to do it sort of like you do yours but with my own twist.” 

“Of course darlin’” Bray pushes himself to his feet. He walks to the door. 

“You three come too,” Dean calls to Luke, Braun, and Erick, “It’s not all too often I get to walk around Cincinnati anymore, might as well take the opportunity to show off some of the places I know.” 

All three men look to Bray, who nods, before they’re up and following behind as Dean leads them from the room and out to the streets. 

-

Twack!

The sound of the kendo stick as it connected against the Social Outcasts was music to Dean’s ears. The crowd was cheering him as he cleared the ring and grabbed a microphone. 

While out on the town with Bray and the boys, after they’d finished filming his segment and had brought it to the arena before the show started, Dean had gotten a text saying that Brock and Paul would be at the following week’s Smackdown. Damn near about giddy with the news, Dean had shown back up at the arena, demanded time in the ring to address it. It had been granted to him - this close to Mania every little match hype was smiled upon, and thus here Dean stood now. 

He raised the microphone to his lips, “I was walking around town when I heard a rumor that Brock Lesnar was going to be on Smackdown next week. Last week you walked away from a fight with me, so next week I’m gonna be standing in the middle of this ring ready to rock and roll… so let’s see if you’ve got the baseballs to step up to the plate!” 

The crowd cheered and roared as his music hit and he exits. 

He finds Bray backstage waiting for him. Erick, Luke, and Braun had already gone back to the motel, to their separate rooms for the night. 

“You and Brock next week huh?” Bray asks when Dean stops with him. He’s leaned up against the wall by the exit. 

“Yeah, you got something in mind?” Dean grins, knowing. 

“I do, we’ll discuss it later,” Bray pushes himself off the wall and turns to face Dean. He leans forward, bringing their lips together. When he pulls back he smirks, “Right now I’ve got better things to do, rooming with me?” 

Dean gives the answer in the form of another kiss, this one far more demanding than the first.


	3. Raw - March 21, 2016 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“I can’t believe he gave you a chainsaw.” 

“I can’t believe you, of all people, are complaining about my chainsaw!” 

Bray shakes his head, still wearing the exasperated look on his face that had been in place ever since Dean had returned from shooting an earlier promo for his match at Wrestlemania. 

Dean had just expected to shoot the promo, which had featured Terry Funk, but Terry had decided to bestow up him a gift from the old days. A chainsaw. Dean was very ecstatic about his present but apparently he was the only one as Bray had not shared his enthusiasm for the thing. 

“I’m not complaining about the chainsaw darlin’. I just can’t believe he gave it to you.” Bray counters, gathering up his lantern, “We need to get to the arena. You’re leaving that thing here aren’t you?” 

“I wasn’t gonna but if you’re going to turn into Roman then I guess I need to,” Dean smirks, enticing a growl from Bray as he compares him to Roman. He knew how much it got on Bray’s nerves for him to do that so he offers a cheeky grin as he deposits the chainsaw and grabs his bag. 

They made it to the arena where they met up with Luke, Erick, and Braun, who’d arrived earlier. One their way in, Dean had been informed of his main event match against Braun. He already knew, Bray had arranged it on the off chance that Brock would try a sneak attack. There had been whispers circulating that Paul Heyman would be in the building tonight, and usually where there was Paul, Brock wasn’t too far behind. 

-

The match happens without so much as hide nor hare of Brock. Paul sits on commentary. Dean’s thankful for his sparring matches that he’s had with Braun at the compound during off time. He’s been able to figure the large man out and read his movements. At first he, uses his quickness to quickly jab and kick at the larger man before he moves out of reach. But when Braun starts catching on to what he’s doing and starting countering his every move, Dean decides to end it and get disqualified as he brings a chair into the ring and slams it across Braun’s back. 

Once he’s lost the match, Dean makes a show - intending to prove a point to the man watching from the commentary table. He brings the chair down across Braun’s back several times before clotheslining and hitting Dirty Deeds on the big man. With Braun now down, Dean slides out of the ring and stalks toward the commentary table. He pauses just a foot or so away from Paul and stares hard at the man that was the advocate of the Beast. 

“I’m just an advocate,” Paul says with his hands up in a peaceful manner. “I’m just an advocate”  
Dean grins at him but turns on his heels and makes his way back to the back. There was a dark match about to happen, staring the Wyatts, and he needed to get out the way. He doesn’t go far. He hides in the shadows not far from the curtain, waiting for Paul. 

When the shorter man walks through the curtain, Dean cuts him off before he can start heading for the exit. 

“Mr. Ambrose,” Paul gives a curt nod of greeting and tries to sidestep around him but Dean moves to block his path again, enticing an annoyed, “Do you mind?” 

“I do actually,” Dean says, folding his arms over his chest, “You aren’t leaving until I say what I need to.” 

Paul’s look of annoyance almost makes Dean grin but he manages to keep his composure as Paul makes a show of looking at his watch before grumbling, “You have five minutes. I have a flight I need to catch.” 

“Tell Lesnar that he’s gonna be sorry for hurting Bray.” Dean growls out. Paul doesn’t look the least bit surprised at the accusation. So they knew the whole time? 

“So you know.” Paul says matter of factly, looking calm and collected, “Very well, is there anything else you would like me to tell my client or is that it?” 

“Yeah, tell _your client_ that I’m coming for him and that I’m going to kick his ass.” Dean balls his hands into fists as his sides. 

“Very well, I will tell my client, now” Paul moves to sidestep Dean against and this time Dean lets him go. Paul pauses beside him, “I must be going. I have much more important things that need attending to. I can’t be wasting my precious time worrying about you and whatever you have with your swamp monstrosity or lover or whatever he is to you.” His eyes flash to something behind Dean, “Though I think you should start.” 

“Why’s that?” 

“Look at the screen Mr. Ambrose.” 

Dean turns to where Paul was still looking. On the screen was live footage from what was happening at ringside. Luke was down at ringside, at the announce table. He was holding his leg and medical was out there and so was a very concerned looking Bray. 

-

White. It was blinding. Bray’s eyes hurt just from being there too long. But there he was, along with Erick and Braun. Stuck in the little waiting room while the doctors examined Luke.  
The other handful of people that were present kept a wary eye on them but Bray ignored them. His mind was on his fallen brother beyond the white doors. Worry was consuming him. He’d started pacing a long time ago, hadn’t stopped since. 

Erick and Braun were seated in two of the chairs. They were silent, staring at the floor in front of them. 

Bray’s attention shifts to the door as it opened and a nurse emerged. “Um… Mr. Wyatt?” At her call, Bray moves across the room, Erick and Braun on his heels. “R-Right this way, pease.” 

She leads them throw the doors and down a hall to where a doctor was waiting to meet them. 

“How is he?” Bray asks immediately. 

“He’s suffered a knee injury that is unfortunately going to require surgery to correct. I’m afraid that’s all we know at the moment.” the doctor explained, “We won’t do the surgery until tomorrow and then he will be discharged once he’s stable and alert afterwards. You may see him if you’d like.” 

“I’m sorry,” those were the words that greeted Bray when he, Erick, and Braun pushed their way into the room. Luke was lying on the hospital bed, had it elevated up into a sitting position. He looked apologetically at Bray as he settled down in the chair at the side of the bed. “Bray I’m sorry.” 

“Hush,” Bray silences him with a look, “It is not your fault Luke. You know that these things happen. Injuries happen. You have nothing to be apologizing for.” 

“The plans, they-” Luke started to say but Bray cut him off

“Our plans have not changed.” He reassured, reaching forward to place his hand over the back of Luke’s, “Your presence will be greatly missed believe me but you will be there with us in spirit brother.” 

“Always Bray.” Luke nods. 

“Rest now.” Bray orders, “Braun and Erick will stay with you tonight. I will come in the morning.” 

Luke nods again, closing his eyes this time to do as he was told. Bray leaves the hospital and returns to the hotel room that he and Dean were sharing. Dean was waiting for him. 

“How’s Harper?”  
“He’s going to be sidelined for a good bit,” Bray sigh, letting his shoulders slump in exhaustion, “It was a knee injury and it’s going to require surgery.” 

“Shit that sucks,” Dean closes the distance between them and Bray reaches out to pull Dean in to kiss him deeply. 

Dean melts into it and offers no complaints when Bray starts pushing him toward the bedroom. 

-

“He knows” 

Paul’s voice rings out over the speaking of the phone that’s lying on the coffee table. 

“I’m not surprised. I’m sure Dean wasted no time in running to find Wyatt after we told him,” Brock huffed out from where he was seated on the couch. He had a dumbbell in one hand, working it up and down as he spoke. 

“But that’s not the only thing, Luke Harper got injured tonight. Sources tell me that he’ll be sidelined for a while. That’s one less Wyatt that we’ll need to be on the lookout for,” Paul adds. 

“I suppose that’s a positive,” Brock switches the dumbbell to his other hand and starts working it. He didn’t care how many Wyatts Bray wanted to bring to the fight. Speaking of fight… “With Harper injured, does that mean Wyatt won’t be on Smackdown then?” 

“I highly doubt Mr. Wyatt is going to let Dean attend a show alone with the knowledge that you’re going to be present Brock. He might not be there in person but I guarantee that he will send his followers.” Paul had a point, Brock didn’t see Bray letting Dean walk into the lion’s den alone anymore, not that he was aware of what happened to Dean in there. 

Brock smirks at the thoughts of making Dean come completely undone again. It had been a week since he’d jerked the dirty blond off in his locker room on Raw. He urged to get his hands on the dirty blond again but with the looming threat of Wyatt as well as Paul’s strong dislike of the idea, he knew it would be difficult to do so. He needed to focus on his match at Mania, he would be getting paid healthily at least and he was determined to win, maybe even have some fun in the process as it was a street fight after all and he’d seen where Dean had gotten plenty of fascinating new “toys”. 

Paul was saying something but Brock tuned him no mind, instead he was starting to look forward to Smackdown and the possibility of getting his hands on Dean and whomever else came out with the dirty blond.


	4. Smackdown - March 24, 2016 - Boston, Massachusetts

“Leave Lesnar to us.” 

Dean felt himself bristling at that. He whips around to face Bray, his medical tape forgotten for the moment. “Fuck no!” 

The brunette was seated just a few feet away, leaning back in his rocking chair. They were in Boston, in their locker room ready for Smackdown. Bray, Braun, and Erick had met Dean at the arena. The three had stayed behind with Luke at the hospital for a bit longer until he’d been carted away for his surgery. They were going to go back after the show to check on him and possibly take him home, if all things went well. 

Dean hadn’t expected Bray to show up at Smackdown, but couldn’t find it in himself to be surprised that he had, not with the confirmation that Brock would be there later in the night. What had surprised Dean was Bray’s insistence that he stay in the locker room and no go out to confront the Beast. The possessiveness that Dean knew Bray felt toward him but kept buried was showing through brightly and it was honestly gnawing on Dean’s nerves. 

“We’ve handled him before. We’ll knock him down a few pegs. There is no need for you to go out there, not with Wrestlemania this close,” Bray argues, eyes narrowing at Dean’s stubbornness. 

Dean shakes his head, “Haven’t ever backed down from a fight, ‘m not about to start now.” He turns back around, rummaging through his bag, ignoring Bray’s attempts to talk him down. When Brock called him out, he was going to be out there. He didn’t care whether Bray liked it or not. 

He should’ve known better that to turn his back on Bray when the brunette was like this but he had made the mistake and he caught a “Sorry darlin’” being mumbled right before he felt the blow to the back on his head and then afterwards darkness. 

-

“Well, I finished that one a little bit early,” Paul’s voice rings around the arena and Brock can’t help the small chuckle that rumbles in his chest. They were in the center of the ring, Paul having just hyped the Mania match even more, making Brock look good as he is paid to do. Now they were getting down to the part that Brock had been waiting for the whole night. He’d seen the little promos that Dean had done the past Smackdown and Raw. The blond had talking about everyday being his Wrestlemania on the streets of Cincinnati and how much quit he thought Brock had in him. Brock had found that amusing and had called Paul and told his advocate to book him for this Smackdown. He knew Dean wouldn’t be able to stay away, the need to get his revenge for Brock injuring his swamp monster of a lover would fuel the dirty blond to make an appearance. With Harper injured, Brock speculated whether any of the Wyatts were going to be in attendance. As much as Bray talked about brotherhood and how close his family was, Brock wondered briefly if he’d choose Dean over his fallen brother or follower or whatever Harper was to Bray and actually be there tonight. “I’m sure Boston is through hearing me flap my gums, my client is a little bit itchy…. So Dean Ambrose, get your tuckus out here because Brock Lesnar wants a fight right here, right now!” 

Brock turns his attention to the ramp, readying himself as he waits for the familiar blair of Dean’s music to hit. It’s not Dean’s music that hits, instead it’s Bray’s. Brock smirks, so Wyatt was here and apparently he was wanting a fight. He readies himself as the Wyatts make their way slowly to the ring. The lights flickered back on and they moved around the ring to surround him. Brock moves, ready to attack as they climbed onto the ring apron. He let his gaze flick between the three men, ready to move if either of them started to enter the ring. 

Before they could rush him, Dean’s music sounds. Brock doesn’t have time to watch the interaction but Bray immediately leaps from ringside and turns back toward the ramp while Erick and Braun attack. Brock makes quick work of them both, knocking Erick down and suplexing Braun. He watches Braun roll out of the ring but before he can do anything else, Dean is there with a kendo stick. It had little effect, Brock hardly feels the blows thanks to the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and downs Dean. Brock breaks the kendo stick before picking up F5ing Dean in the middle of the ring.

-

It takes Dean a few minutes to pull himself from the mat but he eventually does and manages to make it back backstage and to the locker room. Bray pacing the floor angrily is the first thing Dean sees when he pushes the door open and stumbles into the room. 

He drags himself to a chair and sits in it, wincing in pain as his body protested. 

“You should’ve left Lesnar to us” Bray had stopped pacing as was regarding him with a hard, scolding glare. “We had him! You should’ve stayed in the locker rooms an-”

“And you should’ve stay out of my fucking feud!” the outburst cut Bray off mid sentence, actually made him recoil like he’d been struck. His blue eyes widened. Dean was glaring at at the floor, his own frustrations from being bested by Lesnar over and over again, week after week, were finally mountings, coming to their boiling point. “You just should’ve stayed out of it! I would’ve had him! I would’ve had him beat by now if you’d have stopped interfering!” Dean balled his hands, fingers digging into the denim of his jeans. 

“You would’ve failed.” 

It’s the simplicity of which Bray said it, as if it were a matter of fact thing, that had Dean’s head snapping up and had him fixing to brunette before him with a deadly glare. His face twisted into a snarl. “You think so huh? You don’t think I can beat fucking Brock Lesnar?”

“You can’t. You will try and you will fail.” Bray shot back at him, his eyes narrowing, “Listen to me darlin, I don’t say these things to hurt you. I speak the truth.” 

Dean huffs out a laugh, bitterly. The situation isn’t funny, not in the least bit. It’s actually kind of sad. Somewhere in Dean’s mind, he knows Bray is telling the truth. There has always been doubts when it came to Lesnar and a match with him but Dean had always pushed it back, ignored it like he was so good at doing. Now here Bray was telling him that he would fail. Where was the faith? 

“Leave me alone.” He finally manages to say, the words tumbling from him had absolutely no bite nor authoritative undertone. “Just leave. Go. Don’t want you in my corner if you aren’t at least going to have faith in me.” 

He never expected Bray to do it, Bray never has before when he’d blown up and told him to leave. He’d always refused and persisted. This time, however, Bray huffed out a sigh and a“Very well darlin,” before he turned and disappeared out the still open locker room door, leaving Dean to stare after him. 

Utterly alone in the room.

**Author's Note:**

> To kind of clean up was I was attempting to say in the beginning. 
> 
> Ad Bellum Nobis (The War Between Us) will be 4 chapters.  
> Chapter 1 - covers March 14ths Raw  
> Chapter 2 - will cover March 17ths Smackdown  
> Chapter 3 - will cover March 21st Raw  
> Chapter 4 - will cover March 24ths Smackdown
> 
> Pre Mania Raw/Smackdown, Mania, and final/ending will be in another titled part.


End file.
